For me, I liked it very much and it's a landmark of plain old movie-making, but there are other movies I like more.

Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:22 am

aameen

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

Patrick wrote:

This is self-explanatory. So...what do you think of Citizen Kane?

haven't seen it.

Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:23 am

Robert Holloway

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

For 20 years this film sat as my favorite film of all time.

Last month it was finally toppled and now sits at no.2

What can I say, Michael Bay is the Orson Welles of this century

Rob

Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:45 am

ed_metal_head

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

Most people who see Citizen Kane for the first time have very high expectations for the film. It's not surprising that when it's over there are quite a few who wonder what all the fuss was about.

I liked it quite a bit when I first saw it, but didn't understand it's greatness until rewatching it a couple years later by which time I had seen quite a few more classics.

Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:07 pm

majoraphasia

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

My vote was cast for it being the Greatest Movie Ever. Not my favorite movie by any stretch but quite possibly the Greatest. Like the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Citizen Kane has an influence and style that rocked cinema (or, in the case of the book, pop philosophy) permanently. 1939 and 1940 were great years for the medium and Citizen Kane takes cinema history and compresses it down into one perfect film. I suppose I've seen better films in that I've watched many things that took the excellence of Citizen Kane and twisted it into something more profound. But Citizen Kane was always there first. What would cinema be like without it?

That Welles was all of 25 when he produced Kane is something of a miracle. It took the studio grandiosity of what came before and used an almost hand-made approach in crafting the foundations for both American independent cinema and blockbuster opus. No other film has its tendrils wrapped around the medium like Kane and that's what makes it The Greatest. Not The Best, mind you, but The Greatest.

Thu Jul 16, 2009 7:53 pm

bob harris

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

This has been the undisputed champ of American film for some time and it's lofty status is surely earned. I recently watched it and find it to be a 10/10. That being said, I'm not ready to call it the greatest until I watch some of the other competitors for the crown. It truly is a marvel of a film though and yes, it may not be fully appreciated upon its first viewing(something that was evident by the initial reactions to it) but grows on you with repeated viewings. It is well written, acted, directed, etc. Welles was often criticized for never achieving these heights again, however, I ask has anyone elseever reached that peak either? I doubt it.

Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:14 pm

Robert Holloway

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

bob harris wrote:

This has been the undisputed champ of American film for some time and it's lofty status is surely earned. I recently watched it and find it to be a 10/10. That being said, I'm not ready to call it the greatest until I watch some of the other competitors for the crown. It truly is a marvel of a film though and yes, it may not be fully appreciated upon its first viewing(something that was evident by the initial reactions to it) but grows on you with repeated viewings. It is well written, acted, directed, etc. Welles was often criticized for never achieving these heights again, however, I ask has anyone elseever reached that peak either? I doubt it.

Bob

Good thoughts - it's probably the greatest American film. As you study it more and keep reminding yourself that it was conceived in 1939 it's amazingness becomes even more apparent.

There's no director that i have heard of that made a film like this as their first. Arguably only 5/6 ever got close during their entire careers.

Then there is the personal reaction. Often confused and underwhelmed at first, then maybe opening up to its greatness, then it's simply what yanks your chain

Rob

Fri Jul 17, 2009 12:10 am

Craig

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

I voted that it is great, but not the greatest. Still, it sits in my top 10 of all time. The film was a technical achievement in 1941 and changed the way movies were made for all time. As Ed mentioned, expectations were not quite met on the first viewing, but the Ebert and Bogdanovich audio commentaries on the DVD opened my eyes to a lot of things I missed on that initial viewing. Even though there's constantly new things to watch, I usually find the time to revisit Kane once per year. I guess that means I like it alot.

Fri Jul 17, 2009 12:19 am

Robert Holloway

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

Craig wrote:

Even though there's constantly new things to watch, I usually find the time to revisit Kane once per year. I guess that means I like it alot.

It means alot. How many films released this year will you watch every year?

Rob

Fri Jul 17, 2009 1:13 am

Pedro

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

I'm on record many times stating Memento is my favorite movie, but I acknowledge Citizen Kane is pretty much the best movie I've ever seen. If Memento didn't exist, it would be my favorite film since Decalogue's kind of a special entry.

Fri Jul 17, 2009 12:32 pm

ed_metal_head

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

bob harris wrote:

This has been the undisputed champ of American film for some time and it's lofty status is surely earned. I recently watched it and find it to be a 10/10. That being said, I'm not ready to call it the greatest until I watch some of the other competitors for the crown. It truly is a marvel of a film though and yes, it may not be fully appreciated upon its first viewing(something that was evident by the initial reactions to it) but grows on you with repeated viewings. It is well written, acted, directed, etc. Welles was often criticized for never achieving these heights again, however, I ask has anyone elseever reached that peak either? I doubt it.

I know I'm in the minority here but I think Touch of Evil is about as good as C.F. Kane.

Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:10 pm

majoraphasia

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

ed_metal_head wrote:

bob harris wrote:

This has been the undisputed champ of American film for some time and it's lofty status is surely earned. I recently watched it and find it to be a 10/10. That being said, I'm not ready to call it the greatest until I watch some of the other competitors for the crown. It truly is a marvel of a film though and yes, it may not be fully appreciated upon its first viewing(something that was evident by the initial reactions to it) but grows on you with repeated viewings. It is well written, acted, directed, etc. Welles was often criticized for never achieving these heights again, however, I ask has anyone elseever reached that peak either? I doubt it.

I know I'm in the minority here but I think Touch of Evil is about as good as C.F. Kane.

I disagree but not with any energy. The first shot of Touch of Evil is so jaw-dropping that moving past it to the actual movie is a challenge. It's the bomb in Phantoms, yo.

Sat Jul 18, 2009 4:05 am

ed_metal_head

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

majoraphasia wrote:

ed_metal_head wrote:

I know I'm in the minority here but I think Touch of Evil is about as good as C.F. Kane.

I disagree but not with any energy. The first shot of Touch of Evil is so jaw-dropping that moving past it to the actual movie is a challenge. It's the bomb in Phantoms, yo.

One or two times a year I laugh so hard at something that I inadvertently snort. I'm just glad no-one was around while I was reading your response.

As for Touch of Evil, the idea of Charlton Heston playing a Mexican has to be one of the more confusing casting decisions I've come across. The strange thing is that it works, at least for me. To me he's better here than in anything else I've seen from him.

Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:55 pm

darthyoshi

Cinematographer

Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:17 pmPosts: 521

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

I mos def enjoyed Touch of Evil a lot more than Citizen Kane, but its been a while since I've seen the later. I wasn't that impressed with it when I saw it though. I think it will require more viewing.

And whats with the Charlton Heston thing? It doesn't bother me at all. Of course, you will forget that he is supposed to be Mexican as the film goes on, but still.

Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:34 am

Awf Hand

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

I watched CK two weekends ago for the first time. I was laid up with my b@lls in a sling (literally) and watched movies all day Friday and Saturday.

Its a great movie, no doubt. Was it the best I've ever seen? Probably not. Is it one that I will revisit someday? Maybe. It was very well constructed and nobody had told me about "Rosebud" beforehand, so I went in untainted. I understand that it broke cinematic ground, and changed the way movies were made thereeverafter. Microsoft's original Windows did the same thing for PC's. Best ever?? Maybe, but not necessarily my personal favorite...

The list of movies that I revisit each year is very short, and Citizen Kane will not be on that list.

Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:34 pm

ShrunkenHead

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

I have yet to see it.

Sun Aug 02, 2009 2:40 am

Ratel

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

Awf Hand wrote:

I watched CK two weekends ago for the first time. I was laid up with my b@lls in a sling (literally) and watched movies all day Friday and Saturday.

Its a great movie, no doubt. Was it the best I've ever seen? Probably not. Is it one that I will revisit someday? Maybe. It was very well constructed and nobody had told me about "Rosebud" beforehand, so I went in untainted. I understand that it broke cinematic ground, and changed the way movies were made thereeverafter. Microsoft's original Windows did the same thing for PC's. Best ever?? Maybe, but not necessarily my personal favorite...

The list of movies that I revisit each year is very short, and Citizen Kane will not be on that list.

Awf Hand, I think almost everyone has a similar impression the first time they see Citizen Kane. But the trick is that you have to watch it two, three, maybe even four times before you can begin to notice and digest just how rich the film is. I think you should give it another chance sometime. I don't know whether it's the best of all time, but it certainly belongs on everyone's list of films to revisit time and time again.

Sun Aug 02, 2009 2:54 am

The Shining Wizard

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

Can't believe it got away with as big a plot hole as it has.. but still, great film. However, its technical aspects are what make it one of the greatest ever, if not THE greatest.

Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:30 am

MrGuinness

Re: Poll #8: Citizen Kane

Do this same poll for Gone with the Wind, so I can espouse about what a piece of sh*t it is and tell my terrific horrific story about seeing it in a theater.

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